Improvement in bee-hives



G. SLUSSER.

Bee Hive.

No. 67,680. Patented Aug. 13, 1867.

FIG:

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IMPEOVEMEN T IN BEE-HIVIS.

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TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it. known that I, GEORGE SLUSSER, of IIillsboro, in the county ofHighland, and State of Ohio, have invented a new and improved Bee-Hive:and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exactdescription thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,which constitute a port-ion of this specification.

Figure 1 is a side view of my improved bee-hive.

Figure 2, a central longitudinal section of the same, and

Figure 3 a transverse section of said bee-hive.

The same letters refer to corresponding parts in each of the drawings.

An oblong rectangular box, B, having an inclined bottom, 9, and aremovable roof-shaped cover, A, forms the exterior portion of myimproved bee-hive. The internal portion of my improved bee-hive consistsprincipally of a series of open removable honey-frames, ij is, whoseshape and arrangement within the hive are clearly shown in figs. 2 and 3of the drawings. Each of said honey-frames is composed of legs or sidepieces jj of unequal lengths, united with each other by means of acap-piece, 2', and a central bar, it. The sides jj of the removablehoney-frames are respectively of such a length that when they are placedupon the inclined bottom 9 of the exterior casing B, the caps z of saidframes will be brought into a horizontal position. The ends of thecapsiof the honey-frames project beyond the sidesjj of the same asufficient distance to produce an airchamber between the contiguoussides of said frames and the front and rear sides of the enclosingcasing 13 of the hive. When arranged within the box B the honey-framesif k are securely held between the boards g and it, which boards areretained in such positions as to form air-chambers between their outersurfaces and the ends of the said box B. The board 9 bears againstcleats on the inner surface of one end of the hive-box B, and the boardit is retained in its position by the key E, which is inserted betweenthe said board and the opposite end of the hive-box B, as shown in fig.2. The cover A of the hive-box B is of such a size and shape as to forman ample air-chamber between its inner surface and the top of the seriesof honey-frames z'jk. Apertures are formed in the gable ends of thecover A, one of which is usually stopped with a. cork, m, or itsequivalent, and the other aperture is left open for the entrance andexit of the bees. A feeding-box, F, is placed upon the series ofhoney-frames H 70, and an aperture through an oifset at one end of thesaid feeding-box, which is placed over the aperturefin the cap of one ofthe honey-frames z'j It, enables the bees to pass freely from theair-chamber above the series of honey-frames down into the space orchamber within the said frames, as shown in fig. 2 of the drawings. Thefluid feeding material within the feeding-box F is covered by aperforated float, s, and is readily drawn therefrom by the bees throughthe apertures in said float.

On the front sideof the hive an inclined apron, p, descends from thelowest edge of the inclined bottom q of the casing 13, and an oblongopening in the said casing, immediately above the apron p, is closed bythe hinged door C, as shown in figs. 1 and 3. Apertures in the loweredge of the door C are covered by the perforated plates or wire-gauzecovers 0 0, which are so secured that they can be opened and closed atpleasure. Ventilating openings are also formed in the interiorpartition-boards g and h, which are covered by perforated plates 12 11..When a honey-frame is removed from the hive the bees usually crawlaround into the air-chamber outside the series of honey-frames; and whenthis occurs I open the aperture into said chamber, which is closed bythe cork m, and at the same time I close up the aperture lin theopposite end of the air-chamber. This gives the bees free egress fromthe hive. Bees can be readily transferred from any kind of a box or hiveinto my improved, hive by placing the comb on the central bars I: of thehoney-frames; and this can be done in such a manner as to save the wholebrood.

When the swarm in any hive is found to be weak, I remove therefrom a fewof the honey-frames and supply their places by an equal number ofhoney-frames from a hive which may be occupied by a strong swarm ofbees, taking care to select such as contain honey and young bees. Whenthe bees swarm late in the season, my improved hive has an advantageover all others known to me, arising from the fact that a portion of thehoney frames in the hive that has been vacated by the said swarm canbe-lifted out and placed in a new box, and then on hiving the swarm intothe said new hive-box the bees will be sure to remain and do well.

My improved bee-hive can be placed upon the dry earth, and inconsequence of its peculiar construction and perfect ventilation, thiscan be done without the slightest danger of the bees suifering from heatin summer, or from want of air during the snows of winter.

Having thus fully described my improved bee-hive, what I claim thereinas new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- Giving such a shapeto the removable honey-frames ij is that when the said frames areplaced'side by side upon the inclined bottom 9 of the exterior casing,the caps z'z'and the central bars k k of said frames will form ahorizontal top and bottom to the honey-chamber within the same, whilethere will be formed between the said bars and the inclined bottom (1 ofthe exterior casing an ample air-chamber, all substantially as hereinset forth.

I also claim placing the feeding-box F in the air-chamber above the saidframes, and presiding suitable openings for connecting said air-chamberdirectly with the honey-chamber, and with the external-atmosphere, allsubstantially as herein set forth. I

The aforegoing specification of iny improved bee-hive signed this 5thday of February, 1867.

' GEORGE SLUSSER.

Witnesses:

J 05. K. MARLAY, W. W. \VADDELL.

